


Letters to Santa

by TeriH



Category: The Magnificent Seven (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Holidays, Magnificent Seven AU: Little Britches ATF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-08 15:20:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18625909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeriH/pseuds/TeriH
Summary: Originally published in Magnificent Kids #12 (Neon RainBow Press, 2010)Snooping leads to a new Christmas tradition.





	1. Busted

“JD . . . JD . . . JD . . .” Vin Tanner’s voice rose not only in volume but in pitch as the little boy looked nervously back at the large bed that stood against the wall, flanked by two large windows. All that he could see of his "brother" were the tips of two bright red tennis shoes peeking from beneath the bed. “JD, come out.”

*Achoo* was JD’s only response as the shoes totally disappeared from sight.

“JD, you’s gonna git us in trouble if ya don’t stop.” Vin whispered as he stood peering out the doorway into the empty hall.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity to the young child, the red shoes followed by the small body of JD slide from beneath the bed.  “Nothing,” he announced as he stood up and brushed off the dust bunnies that clung to his clothes, sending up a cloud of dust before sneezing loudly.

“Okay, you tried. Now let’s go before they find us.” The worry was clear in Vin’s tone.

“I heard Billy Travis telling the older boys that folks always hide Christmas presents in their bedroom.” JD stated with determination is his voice. “You just keep a look-out, Vin. 

Even from his station at the hall door, Vin could see out the nearest window.   Buck and his Dad could be seen in the corral working with the new horse that had arrived earlier in the day and showed no sign of stopping even though the sun was rapidly setting in the west. 

Uncle Ezra was in his Dad’s office doing some work on the computer and they had told him they would be in their room playing.  Vin wished he _was_ in his room, but he couldn’t let JD do this alone they were brothers, and brothers stuck together. 

Vin looked to where six-year old JD stood in the middle of the room hands on his hips and slowly turned in a circle looking for hiding places.  He knew the moment his young brother's eyes locked on the closed closet door.

Vin watched in horror. "JD, No!"  He couldn't believe that JD would even consider the closet.

The raven haired younger took a tentative step . . . then another, building up confidence.

"JD, Stop!"  Vin had moved away from his post at the door, his job as sentry forgotten. "That's your Da's closet!" 

"Vin, they've got to be in there.  We looked everywhere else.  Billy said. He's older and he knows." 

"But your Da said _never_ to go in his closet. He keeps his _guns_ in there." Vin tried to reason with the younger boy. "JD, pleaaaaasssseeee."

JD stopped in front of the closet door . . . The small arm reaching toward the forbidden barrier . . . Little finger beginning to close around the brushed brass doorknob . . .

Vin tried one final time to reach his brother. "JD, what if Santa's watching?"

~~~~~~~

"Ah fear it will be a visit from _Knecht Ruprecht_ and not _der Heilige Nikolaus_ we will be having tonight."

Ezra watched as the two snoops jumped upon hearing his voice.  JD's hand flew from the doorknob and soon both were tucked behind his back, his head turning toward the voice, eyes wide with shock. Vin turned more slowly to face his uncle, the guilt clearly showing in the bright blue eyes.

“Might ah ask what you boys were up to?”  Ezra’s soft drawl carried no censure.

“We was lookin’ for pre . . .”

Vin’s soft voice was cut off as JD asked, “Did ja say we was havin’ company?” 

Ezra bit his cheek to keep from smiling at JD’s rather obvious attempt to change the subject.

“As a matter of fact ah did. Don’t you boys know what tomorrow is?” Ezra watched as two small heads shook from side to side. “Why tomorrow is Nikolaustag . . . St. Nicholas Day.”

Walking over to Buck’s huge bed, Ezra sat on the end and patted the mattress on either side of him and the two youngsters were soon scrambling up to sit beside their uncle.

Making sure the boys were settled in, he began his tale . . . “On the evening of December 5th der Heilige Nikolaus or St. Nicholas goes from home to home to check and see if the children have been good or bad  . . .”

“But I thought Santa did that,” JD couldn’t help saying.

“JD, ssshhh. Don’t interrupt Uncle Ezra,” Vin leaned across his uncle in an effort to quiet the doubting JD.

“You don’t think Santa Claus has time to check on all the little boys and girls, now do you? He’s busy making sure the elves are getting the toys made, checking on the reindeer and getting ready to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. So he sends his helpers St. Nicholas and Knecht Ruprecht to check on the children for him.”

Noting he had his nephews undivided attention Ezra continued, “Now ah did mah best to behave and always do as told, especially at Christmas time, for ah did not wish Knecht Ruprecht to appear at mah door, or leave coal in mah shoe.”

“Coal?” the boys asked.

“Why yes, on the eve of Nikolaustag ah always leave a pair of mah shoes sitting outside mah door to prepare for the visit of St. Nicholas. You see, Knecht Ruprecht only visits the homes of bad little boys and girls, bringing with him a switch and leaving coal in their shoes. But St. Nicholas or der Heilig Nikolaus, as he is known in the old country, visits the homes of the good boys and girls bringing small gifts and treats to leave in their shoes.”  Ezra watched as the two boys seemed to consider his words.

“Uncle Ezra,” Vin’s soft voice broke the spell. “We was hunting for Christmas presents.”

JD’s bottom lip quivered, “It was my fault. Vin didn’t wanna do it, he was just watchin’ out for me. He told me not to go in Da’s closet.”

“And why don’t we go into Chris or Buck’s closets?” Ezra asked, already knowing the answer.

“Cause that’s where they keep their guns and it’s not safe,” Vin offered as JD nodded in agreement. 

“Well, young Masters Tanner and Dunne, ah do believe that we should go write letters to Santa.  Perhaps if we leave them in our shoes tonight St. Nicholas will deliver them to Santa Claus for us. Let’s see, we will need paper and crayons. If you would be so kind as to retrieve them from your room we can sit at the kitchen table and write our letters.”

The boys leapt off the bed and headed to their room to gather the needed items and headed down the hall toward the kitchen. 

Ezra smiled as he straightened the comforter on Bucks bed before walking out of the room pulling the door closed behind him. Turning he saw Chris stepping out of an adjacent doorway where he had remained unseen by the excited boys.

“So Ez, you want to tell me what just happened here?”

“Later Mr. Larabee, there will be time for answers later. Right now I have a letter to write to Santa.”


	2. Writing Letters

Ezra walked down the hallway leaving a rather befuddled Chris Larabee in his wake. He had a feeling that he would be paying for his rather abrupt dismissal of the man, who was in fact his boss, but he had his reasons. Two of them to be precise and they were at this moment awaiting his arrival at the kitchen table.

Through the open door he could see Vin and J.D. sitting patiently at the table. Correction, Vin was sitting patiently and the ever active J.D. was currently standing on his chair, one knee on the table as he reached for the red color that was rolling ever farther away from the chubby hand.

“J.D., sit down for ya git hurt.” Vin warned his little brother.

Ezra cleared his throat as he walked into the kitchen, catching the wayward crayon as it rolled off the table.

J.D. made a quick retreat back to his chair but remained on his knees to have better access to the table.

“We got all the stuff you said, Uncle Ez.” J.D. beamed, all thought of earlier transgressions forgotten.

“I can see that, Master Dunne.” Ezra took in the construction paper, safety scissors, glue sticks and crayons that lay on the table’s surface. “It would appear that we indeed have all the necessary paraphernalia to craft excellent letters to the Jolly Ol’ Elf.”

Ezra grinned at J.D.’s rather baffled look.

“He means to Santa, J.D.” Vin looked to his uncle for confirmation.

“Very good, Vin. That is precisely what I meant.” Ezra directed a smile at the quiet youngster. “Master Tanner, what color of paper would you like to create your missive to Santa Claus?”

Vin rather reluctantly reached for a piece of red construction paper and a black crayon as J.D. nabbed, the now within reach, red crayon and a sheet of green paper.

“Uncle Ezra, you gotta write Santa a letter too.” J.D. implored.

“Why yes, I do believe you are correct.” Ezra agreed as he pulled a piece of light blue construction paper from the stack and reached for a navy crayon.

From the corner of his eye Ezra watched as Vin sat unmoving in his chair, hand poised over the blank paper.

“Let’s see, how shall we start? I know, Dear Santa Claus,” Ezra stated as he wrote the words on his paper.

Still Vin didn’t move, his eyes never lifting from the blank paper.

“Vin, is there something wrong? Don’t you want to tell Santa what you wish for Christmas?”

Worried blue eyes met the questioning emerald gaze.

“What if Santa’s mad? We was bad and went into Buck’s room. We ain’t s’posed ta go in there without Buck or pa, ‘n J.D. was gonna open the closet. Santa doesn’t bring toys for bad boys and girls. Pa said.” Once the words started is was as if they simply flowed from the distraught boy.

J.D.’s stopped work on his letter. His eye’s widened in horror at the realization that there was a distinct possibility that Santa might not come this year.

Ezra gazed at the two young boys. Their hopeful faces looking to him for an answer.  
“Vin, I am sure that Santa knows you are truly sorry for your actions today, AND that you will do your best to follow your fathers’ rules in the future.”

Two small heads bobbed in agreement.

“Then perhaps we should state just that to Mr. Claus. I am sure the jolly man will be very understanding, as will your fathers when you tell them,” their uncle suggested.

Vin’s concentration went back to his paper and Ezra watched as the young boy wrote,  
_Dear Santa,_  
 _I’m sorry I was a bad. I will do what my pa says and be good._  
 _For Christmas I would like a bike and . . ._

_~~~~~~~_

Both boys were absorbed in their writing when Ezra finally acknowledged their undetected audience just beyond the kitchen door.

Looking up he met the approving eyes of Chris Larabee and Buck Wilmington. Giving a mock, two-finger, tip of an imaginary hat he went back to his own Christmas letter.

_Dear Santa Claus,_   
_Many years ago I asked for a special Christmas present. When I awoke that Christmas morning, alone save for the house staff, I stopped believing in you. Now that I am older, and hopefully much wiser, I have come to understand that some gifts do not appear over night but take patience and time to perfect. This year I have received my hearts desire, the family of which I always dreamed. Thank you, Santa._   
_I am and shall always remain your loyal servant,_   
_Ezra P. Standish_


End file.
